Chiropractic Boosts Your Immune System!

Does getting chiropractic adjustments boost your immune system? The scientific evidence say “YES.” And by quite a lot!

The immune system is actually composed of a number of different systems including a variety circulating cells such as neutrophils, lymphocytes, macrophages, eosinophils and basophils, hormonal factors, a number of various immunoglobulin (antibody) factors, etc, etc. The immune system is involved in protecting us from viruses, bacteria, parasites and toxins. Immune system problems account for allergies. The immune system also protects us from cancer. When the immune system goes haywire it can lead to problems in literally any part of the body. The immune system can even attack our own tissues causing diseases like hypothyroidism, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Studies on the effects of chiropractic on immunity have placed people into chiropractic care and monitored their immune system to see the effects.
One of the most important studies showing the positive effect chiropractic care can have on the immune system and general health was performed by Ronald Pero, Ph.D., chief of cancer prevention research at New York's Preventive Medicine Institute and professor of medicine at New York University. Dr. Pero measured the immune systems of people under chiropractic care as compared to those in the general population and those with cancer and other serious diseases. In his initial three-year study of 107 individuals who had been under chiropractic care for five years or more, the chiropractic patients were found to have a 200% greater immune competence than people who had not received chiropractic care, and 400% greater immune competence than people with cancer and other serious diseases. The immune system superiority of those under chiropractic care did not diminish with age. Dr. Pero said, “I have never seen a group other than this chiropractic group to experience a 200% increase over the normal patients. This is why it is so dramatically important. We have never seen such a positive improvement in a group.

”Specifically, the study demonstrated that the “phagocytic respiratory burst of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and monocytes were enhanced in people that had been adjusted by chiropractors.” In other words, the cells that act like "Pac-Man" eating and destroying viruses, bacteria, parasites and cancer cells are anywhere from 2 to 4 times more active in people who get regular chiropractic care.

So are you and your children benefitting from regular chiropractic wellness care - even when they are symptom free?

HIV positive patients certainly represent a major immune system challenge. A group of HIV positive patients were adjusted over a six-month period. Patients that got chiropractic adjustments had an increase of 48% in the CD4 cells (an important immune system component). The lab measurements were taken at the patient's independent medical center, where they were under medical supervision for the condition. The control group (the patients that were not adjusted) had an 8% drop in CD4 cell counts over the same period. ("Enhanced phagocytic cell respiratory bursts induced by spinal manipulation: Potential Role of Substance P." Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therepeutics 1991 (14)7:399-400).
Any drug that could create a 48% improvement in immune function for these poor people would certainly make the headlines. Why don’t more people know about this? Beats me!

The decreasing effectiveness of antibiotics and the risks involved with their use is becoming well known. Hospital infections directly cause 19,000 deaths per year and contribute to 58,000 deaths annually, which makes them the 11th leading cause of death in the US population. Hospitals are simply breading grounds for the most potent strains of bacteria in the world.

With the increasing incidence of infection, cancer and other immune related diseases we owe it to our families to keep our immune systems working to their fullest potential. Chiropractic adjustments once or twice a month for the whole family are the best insurance you can have.

For getting over those stubborn cases of sinusitis, ear infections or bronchitis daily chiropractic adjustments for one week are tremendously helpful. We’ve seen some tough cases turn right around with this kind of approach. We also carry the nutritional supplements Congaplex, Immuplex and Thymex from Standard Process all of which are very helpful in these cases. We’ve used the Dolisos Cold & Flu homeopathic for many years with great success too.

Get the benefits of chiropractic for you and your family. Get regular adjustments with Dr. Greenwood.